Orlando Airboats

I’ve got a bit of a confession to make about Orlando airboats. There are no airboat rides right in downtown Orlando. Nope! Not a one.

There a bunch around Orlando, though. Location details follow.

Airboat Experience

Expect the following as part of your Orlando area airboat ride experience.

You will be sitting on a comfortable bench-type seat in a fairly large, flat bottomed, blunt nosed boat.

You may be up close and personal with a bunch of other Orlando visitors on the same bench seat, depending on how many folks booked or showed up for the same boat ride. Perhaps there is a grab rail in front of you which, based on my experience, you probably won’t need. Up behind you in a raised control area, a pilot, or pilots both control the airboat and provide – when the engine is not running – information about the local birds, animals and greenery as your airboat glides over the water, grass and spatterdock.

No, I had not heard the term spatterdock before, though where I come from up north, we call what looks like spatterdock lily pads. If you want detailed info about this plant, visit: http://aquaplant.tamu.edu.

Some airboat ride organizers provide soft, insert-type ear plugs. Others provide full size, clamp-over-your-head ear defenders. Regardless of the type of ear protection, you want to have some. The engines driving the big prop(s) are loud!

The pilot will fire up the huge, aircraft type engine, the propeller will start turning, and the airboat will glide over the water, slowly at first, and then, in conjunction with the throaty roar of the engine, to hurtling along, wind whipping into your eyes. And do watch out for the grass if you are lucky enough to be sitting at the edge of the boat. The Florida grass grows tall, and bends, and as your airboat goes flying by, the grass tips whip exposed skin… and even an exposed eye!

Since I had some work to do down in the Florida Keys, I actually decided, instead of enjoying an Orlando area boat ride, to ride one down on the Tamiami Trail. Regardless of where you take your airboat ride, be assured, the enjoyment level will be just as high.

Orlando Airboats

Here are the airboat companies I’ve been able to locate around greater Orlando. If yours is not listed here, please send me an email to: webmaster at orlando-florida-attractions.com.

Airboat Rides at Boggy Creek

Location: 2001 E. Southport Rd., Kissimmee FL 34746

Distance: about 35 miles south from #408 & #4 in downtown Orlando

Tel: 407-344-9550

Web: www.bcairboats.com

Cypress lake Airboat Tours

Location: 3301 Lake Cypress Rd, Kenansville FL 34739

Distance: about 41 miles south from #408 & #4 in downtown Orlando

Tel: 407-957-2277

Web: www.cypresslakeairboattours.com

Orlando Airboat Tours

4275 Neptune Road, St Cloud, Florida 34769

Distance: about 30 miles south from #408 & #4 in downtown Orlando

Tel: 407-572-3561

Web: orlandoairboattours.com

Spirit of the Swamp Airboat Rides

2830 Neptune Road Kissimmee, FL

Distance: about 27 miles from downtown Orlando

Tel: 321-689-6893

Web: www.spiritoftheswamp.com

Wild Bill’s Airboat Tours

Location: 12430 E. Gulf to Lake Hwy, Inverness FL 34450

Distance: about 63 miles north west from #408 & #4 in downtown Orlando